Good posture is important to overall health. Good posture, or neutral spine, is the natural curve present in a healthy spine. The natural curve will include a slight forward curve in the lumbar (lower back) region, and a slight backward curve in the thoracic (upper back) region. When the back is in this position, the ears, shoulders, hips, knees, and ankles are aligned. This alignment properly distributes body weight and the stresses it causes along the length of the spine.
When a person has bad posture they are susceptible to several health risks including headaches, diminished breathing, and back pain. Musculoskeletal injuries can also occur from the abnormal distribution of stresses created by bad posture. This leads to structural changes in the spine including deterioration of discs and joints, wear and tear of cartilage, and lengthening or shortening supportive ligaments and muscles. Persons who spend most of their day sitting can be at an increased risk if they sit with poor posture, especially drivers and those who work at computers. Back pain can also lead to psychological distress.
Pro-longed poor posture can begin to feel normal and eventually lead to even worse posture, further injuring the back in a vicious cycle. Poor posture that feels normal can be very difficult to correct because the person's muscle memory for correct posture has been replaced with muscle memory for poor posture, and therefore correct posture feels incorrect. Conscious attempts at correcting posture are difficult because the distractions of daily life may prevent the proper amount of awareness of spinal positioning.
There are many treatments for the negative effects of poor posture. Some techniques include exercise, manual manipulation such as chiropractic care, and cutaneous stimulation. Drugs may also be utilized, such as pain relievers and muscle relaxants. Invasive techniques including back surgery are also used in extreme situations.
Some medical devices have also been developed to avoid these problems. Hard immobile back braces are common for those with extreme spine misalignment are not comfortable and interfere with mobility. Other devices provide support to only a section of the spine, can be bulky, and often restrict mobility. Still others mechanically manipulate the body into correct posture in ways that can be uncomfortable to the wearer. Still others address pain in the back but without treating the underlying cause such as thermotherapy.
There exists a need in the art for a system that trains a user to use correct posture for the entire spine, the neutral position, to prevent the back problems caused by poor posture. There further exists a need for a system that accomplishes that comfortably and subtly without unduly restricting motion so as not to interfere with the user's daily life. There further exists a need for a system that relieves the pain associated with poor posture while training proper posture.